lift+love recommendations for you
9 things to consider - protests
Many protests, vigils, and memorials across the country occur peacefully, but unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. There are inherent physical safety and legal risks that are important to consider with any of these types of gatherings, and the risks are prominent in the current political climate.
Only you can determine when/if it’s appropriate for you to attend a protest. No matter what, it’s important to keep yourself and loved ones as safe as possible in every situation. And part of that is knowing your rights and where you can turn for assistance.
These tips are based on “The Trevor Project - Navigating Personal Safety while Taking Action as an LGBTQ Young Person by: Danielle Ehsanipour (they/them), Director of Lifeline, The Trevor Project & Paloma Woo (she/her), Senior Crisis Services Manager, The Trevor Project.
This information is meant to help people consider options to make the safest decisions for themselves if they are considering attending a protest. “It is up to you to learn about and abide by laws specific to your state, how to express yourself online or at vigils and protests, and to decide how comfortable you are with publicly sharing parts of your identity.”
These tips and suggestions are not a replacement for legal advice. If you need legal advice or assistance, please contact a lawyer.
Online dating safety for LGBTQ+ teens
Download this free pdf with these 6 tips for online dating safety for LGBTQ+ teens
LGBTQ+ teens are at higher risk for being victimized online (see slides for details!) and it's not uncommon for teens to pretend to be older on dating apps (which can lead to additional risks). This is why it's important for all youth (and their parents!) to understand the risks of online dating and know how to be smart online... These practical tips are actually great ideas for anyone who may be considering online dating (including non-LGBTQ folks and adults!), but since LGBTQ+ teens are especially vulnerable to being targeted online, we are presenting these tips especially to help LGBTQ+ youth stay safe.
Download this free pdf with these 6 tips (see slides!) for online dating safety (free pdf download - see link in bio linktree) OR comment DATING and we'll send it to you by dm. We've got 6 great tips for staying safe online - especially in online dating or dating-adjacent situations, where the people you meet might not be everything that they seem.
Please share this important information with your youth friends and parents, leaders, mentors, and teachers. Even if you or your teen aren't online dating now, education is the key to preventing potential problems in the future! The more we know about teen online dating (and especially LGBTQ+ teen online dating), the better you will be able to build healthy relationships and avoid potential problems if you do decide to date online.
You deserve to be safe and you are worthy of love.
pride month 101 - pride for beginners!
Are you new to the LGBTQ+ community or just looking for information about Pride Month? We’ve got answers to some of the most common questions about Pride Month - What is Pride Month about? Why does Pride get a whole month? What’s the deal with pride flags and parades? Whats the deal with the rainbow? Isn’t Pride a bad thing? Is being LGBTQ+ something to celebrate! Find answers in our free downloadable pdf here!
Lunch with the Renlunds - A blog post by the Nerdy Gay Mormon (David Doyle)
David Doyle @nerdygaymormon (one of the hosts of the Lift+Love LGBTQ+ Adult Support Community) has a new blog post about his recent experience having lunch with Elder Dale G. Renlund and Sister Renlund:
“I had the opportunity to meet Elder & Sister Renlund. They were cute. Elder Renlund said something, then his wife didn’t exactly correct him, but pointed out his words could mean this or that. I commented it’s obvious she’s a talented lawyer. She looked amused and he said it’s true.
Sister Renlund apologized and said we were going to eat in a little cafeteria, and the food is fine but nothing to write home about. It’s a place we can go without being constantly interrupted. I’m thinking, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Are we about to eat in the Church Administration cafeteria? The most exclusive spot in town?!!”
Respecting Pronouns - A Simple Way to Save Lives
Lift+Love Transgender Mama Specialist Anita Ervin has compiled an easy-to-understand resource titled “Transgender and Non-Binary Education” that covers many of the basic facts about being transgender or non-binary. It’s great for beginners or anyone who has questions about what it means to be transgender or non-binary. You can find the document on the Lift+Love website in the educate section (under “helpful info”). She covers definitions, pronouns & appropriate verbiage, and more. Check it out - you will learn a lot!
What Do You Do When Church Leaders Give Talks That Are Painful?
It’s okay to acknowledge that church leaders said something that caused you pain. And it’s important to allow yourself to feel it without judgment. Sometimes, as members of the church, we think that in order to be “all in” the gospel we need to be 100% behind what every church leader says from every pulpit. That is simply not true.
To Condone or Not To Condone - That is the Wrong Question
It’s common to talk about condoning as it applies to LGBTQ people (whether they’ve actually done anything wrong or not), but why is this the thing that people feel they are obligated to judge, when there is an endless list of our neighbor’s actions and beliefs we could potentially choose to condone or not condone?
